Drug charges while on probation can have severe ramifications

The fight against the illegal drug trade in Louisiana is ongoing. Police remain on alert for suspicious activity and the presence of illicit drugs as they go about their shifts. An officer pulled over a Ford F-150 truck for a traffic stop for purportedly failing to signal a right-hand turn. The traffic stop resulted in drug charges filed against three people.

The officer allegedly detected an odor of marijuana in the vehicle and reportedly discovered a significant amount of marijuana that was said to have been concealed in the console, along with a large amount of cash. A further search purportedly turned up another larger amount of marijuana. The driver was charged with a moving violation and possession of an illegal substance with intent to distribute.

The accused had a prior record and was on probation. A warrant for a search of his home was issued based on that, and in the process of surveilling the accused’s home, the officers reportedly witnessed suspicious activity by the accused’s mother and girlfriend. Further investigation allegedly revealed that the mother had handed off a large amount of marijuana to the girlfriend to hide at another location. All three face charges regarding the incident.

Facing drug charges in Louisiana can be scary. The implications for a person on probation can be severe. Officers are limited in their actions by having to follow strict procedural guidelines. A criminal defense attorney will review the facts and assess whether police procedures were correctly followed. Any procedural and/or constitutional issues will be raised in court with a view toward excluding tainted evidence and/or seeking a dismissal of the charges or other favorable result.